Semi-automatic zip tape splicer



ug. 16, 1966 l.. J. VON GUNTEN SEMI-AUTOMATIC ZIP TAPE SPLICER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 25, 1964 M 4f ad @imag/s Aug- 16, 1966 l.. J. voN GUNTEN 3,266,968

SEMI-AUTOMATIC ZIP TAPE SPLICER Filed Nov. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O Delaware Filed Nov. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 413,858 7 Claims. (Cl. 156-368) This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application Serial No. 125,222, iled July l9, 1961, `by Leo J. Von Gunten.

In the above identified co-pending application, an automatic tape splicer for use 4with packaging or wrapping machines and like appliances is disclosed. The splicer does not stop running during its operation since the splice is automatically accomplished by means of a proximity switch which is activated lby an aluminum rfoil insert near the end of the tape on the spool. The splicer is there- [fore particularly applicable, and is advantageously used, for continuous and high production quantities. The cost of suc-h an .automatic tape splicer is, however, accordingly high, in view of its complex and intricate mechanism, and :for applications where lesser production requirements are demanded, may be prohibitive. At least there is a great reluctance to make such an investment.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a tape spli'cer which is semi-automatic in operation and which is, accordingly, considerably less expensive to manulfact-ure. In this respect, it is a (further object to provide a tape splicer which provides all of the features and advantages of the automatic tape splicer disclosed in the above mentioned co-pending application, except for the fact that it is semi-automatic in operation. v It is another object of the invention to provide a semiautomatic tape splicer for use with a packaging or wrapping machine, wherein a new spool of tape may be spliced to an almost (or completely) exhausted spool of tape being fed to the machine with a minimum delay in the operation.

llt is another object to provide a semi-automatic splicer for use with a packaging or wrapping machine, wherein ordinary or convenient tape spool sizes may be used so as to facilitate supply preparation and subsequent storing and handling operations.

It is still another object to provide a semi-automatic splicer wherein all the -tape in a spool is readily adapted to being efliciently used with no wastage.

i Other objects olf the invention will in part be obvious and /will in part `appear hereinafter.

The semi-automatic tape splicer of the present invention may lbe generally described as comprising a sealer assembly which is adapted to receive and to splice two tapes to one another. Included within the sealer assembly is a solenoid for operating, or drawing down, a lever arm which carries the sealer bar. Semi-automatic operation of the sealer assembly is provided by means of a timer having cams which are operative to stop and start the packaging machine, lto energize the solenoid in the sealer assembly and to maintain the timer operative until it restores to its initial position. The operation of the timer is initiated by means of a push button, when the tape on one spool is near its end.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination o'f elements, and arrangement Orf parts which are exemplified in the construction hereinafter set (forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects olf the invention, reference should be had to the tol-low- ,ingdetaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; in which:

FIGURIE 1 is a -layout illustrating a combination of Patented August 16, 1966 ice elements illustrative lof an embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view generally as seen along line 2 2 in FIG. t3;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of a sealer assembly as used in the apparatus illustrated in IFIG. 1; and

FIGURE 4 is `a perspective like view of a positioning device as used in the .apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.

Retferring now to `the drawings, reference numeral 10 identifies a ribbon or tape of heat scalable material. The tape 10 is fed from a dirst supply spool, or roll 12, and directed to a wrapping machine (not shown). A socalled Lawson spool let-olf device `1'4 (-which is a spring tension `and brake Vdevice adapted to prevent spool overrun regardless of tape speed-which device is well known in the art) is arranged adjacent spool 12 for receipt of the tape 10.

Alfter leaving the let-off device 114, the tape 10 is threaded upon a roll, or pulley 16 of a positioning device 18 from whence it passes through a sealer assembly 20. Upon leaving the sealer assembly 20, the tape 10 is passed to the packaging or wrapping machine.

A second spool or roll 30 is arranged to feed a like ribbon -or tape 32 to the packaging or wrapping machine when the tape 10 has 'been almost completely dispensed from the spool 12. The tape 32 is threaded upon a second Lawson spool let-olf device 34 and is directed [for engagement with a roll or pulley 36 on and upon the posi- Itioning device 18. n The end of the tape 32 is guided beneath the tape -10 and is supported within the sealer assemfbly 20 in -a manner and for a purpose as more fully explained hereinafter.

The arrangement above described may be operated to provide a rapid and convenient splice olf a full spool of tape to a tape that is almost entirely used in a manner 'whereby tape supplied -to the wrapping machine is only momentarily interrupted. A more -detaile-d explanation of the various involved components is hereinafter generally set forth in order that the operation is fully understandable in its ensuing description.

The positioning device 18, as seen in FIG. 4, includes a base member 38, preferably in the form of an L-shaped bracket, and an arm member 40 `aiiixed to ya shaft or axle 42 rotatably mounted upon .a vertical leg 44 of the base portion for 360 rotation. The shaft 42 has a knob 46 for rotation of the arm 40. A ball plunger 48 is arranged in the arm 40 for engagement with either of tWo detents 50 formed in the leg 44. In this way, the -arm may be selectively maintained in either of two horizontal positions removed from each other.

A pair of bushings or sleeves 52 secured to each end of the arm 40, are each -arranged to receive a shaft 54, the outer end of which supports a roll 16 or 36 as the case may be. A ball plunger 56 arranged in each sleeve 52 is adapted -to selectively engage a pair of circumferential grooves 58 formed in a shaft so that the shaft may be maintained in a given axial (generally out) position while the roll is supporting a tape being delivered to the wrappin g machine.

The sealer assembly 20, as best seen in FIG. 3, includes a base plate 60 which supports ya pad 62. One end of rthe pad has ai'lxed thereto a grooved yanvil member 64 with 'the other end having a pair of upright arm members 66 which support a horizontally disposed axle 68. Pivotally mounted upon the axle 68 is an arm member 70. To this is secured one end of a lever 72. Secured to the underside of the lever 72 Iand projecting downwardiy is a sealer head, or block, 74 having a tapered lower end 76 arranged to enter a tapered groove 78 formed in the anvil member 64. The end of the sealer head 74 and the base of the groove 78, which extend in the direction of the tape travel, are flat and arranged to be slightly wider than the tapes 10 and 32. An electric cartridge heater 80 is arranged in the sealer head. The heater is thermostatically controlled to maintain the sealer head at a temperature which will provide heat sealing of the tapes being used when they are compressed between the sealer head and the anvil 64.

Pivotal movement of the lever 72 is provided by a solenoid 82 which has a plunger 84 operatively connected to the face end of the lever 72 via a helical spring 86. The ends of the -spring 86 are secured to the end of the plunger 84 and the upper surface of the lever '72. Thus, the lower end 76 of the sealer head is maintained a slight distance above the tape passing therebeneath when the plunger is in non-operative upper vertical posit-ion.

Secured to the lever 72 is an arm member 88. As is best seen in FIG. 1, the 4arm member 88 has a knife blade 90 adjustably laflixed to the underside thereof and extending toward the tape passing through the sealer assembly 20. Adjacent to the knife blade 90 are two pairs of pads 92, 94. These are formed preferably of rubber. The pads 94 are held in fixed posi-tion, while the pads 92 are affixed by a spring means 95 to the arm member 88 for movement downwardly with the knife blade 90 to clamp the tape against the pads 94 during a tape severing operation.

A 6 second timer motor 97 having three cam-s 98-100 is provided to operate the sealer assembly 20, in a semiautomatic manner. The timer motor 97 is connected to a source of power 101 through a push button 102 which is preferably located on the packaging or wrapping machine. Cam contacts 104 are connected in parallel with the push button 102 and are operated by the cam 100 to maintain the timer motor 97 energized for the full timer cycle, in the manner described below.

Cam -contacts 106 are connected in series with a source of power 108 and the solenoid 82 land are operated by the cam 98 to energize solenoid 82. 'Cam contacts 110 are connected in series with the source of power (not shown) for the packaging -or wrapping machine and are operated by cam 99 to control the operation of the packaging machine.

The semi-automatic operation of the tape splicer may be described as follows. When the ltape of spool 12 is just about to the end of the roll, the push button 102 is operated to close its contacts 112 and 114. The timer motor 97 is thereby energized and starts to rotate the cams 98-100. Normally open cam contacts 104 immediately close and maintain motor timer 97 energized, after the push button 102 is released.

Simultaneous with the closing of cam contacts 104, cam 99 opens cam contacts 110 to disconnect the source of power from the packaging or wrapping machine so that it coasts to a stop.

Cam 98 is appropriately designed to close cam contacts 106 to energize solenoid 82, the instant the packaging machine coasts to a stop.

Upon opera-tion of the solenoid 82, the lever 72 is pulled down and the lower end 76 of the sealer block 74 seats within the anvil groove 78 and compresses the tapes 10 and 32. The heat of the cartridge 80 causes the tapes to be heat sealed together in a secure splice. The cam 98 maintains the solenoid 82 operated so that a 0.5 to 0.7 second dwell time is provided.

The downward movement of the lever 72 also results in a downward movement of the arm member 88. This causes the knife blade 90 to sever the tape 10 simultaneously with the splicing of tape and tape 32. As previously explained, during downward movement of the knife blade 90, the rubber pads 92 are moved downwardly to clamp the tape 10 upon the pads 94. In this way, the tape is fixed taut so that it may be easily severed by the knife-blade.

After the seal is made and the solenoid is de-energized, cam 99 operates cam contacts 110 to again energize the packaging machine, and the tape is pulled through from the spool 30 to the packaging or wrapping machine.

Cam maintains the timer motor 97 operated until 75 it returns to its start position and at that time opens cam contacts 104 to `de-energize the timer motor.

A very important thing in practice of the present in- Vention, as is evident in the foregoing description, is the way the tape is held in place before actual making of a desired splice. The forward motion of the tape running in the V groove is fully utilized. The groove, for example, may have a at of 7/64 inch so as to be, also as an example, about 1/64 inch wider than the tape itself in the bottom of the groove. The unit is so arranged, in any event, that the tape proceeding through the flat in the V just touches the at section. The end of the new spool of tape is inserted between the running tape and the flat in the bottom of the V is pushed through just so it does not protrude from the far end of the sealer (preferably, about 1A or so inch from the end). Then when the seal is made, there is no loose end to catch on any of the parts as the tape passes through on its way to the packaging or wrapping machine. In all cases, the new tape under the running tape is pulled slightly vso that a full spool on the Lawson unit is backed up slightly until the tape is pulled about 1A inch or so from the end of the sealer. The tape stays in this position until the splice is made. As is apparent, the V in the sealer block and the running tape are the only means of holding the new tape in position until the splice is accomplished. No other mechanical means are used for the purpose.

After the splicing operation is completed and the new tape 32 is being fed to the packaging or wrapping machine, the machine attendant removes the spent tape spool 12 and replaces it with a full spool. Next the roll 16 of the positioning device 1S is pushed inv axially so that the groove 58 closer to the roll is engaged by the ball plunger 56. The arm member 40 of the positioning device is then rotated clockwise so that theroll 36, over which the tape 32 is threaded, occupies the position formerly occupied by roll 16, and vice versa. The moving tape 32 is then placed between the pads 92 and 94 while the new tape is threaded upon the roll 16 and the end thereof is placed beneath the tape 32 in the tapered groove 78 of the anvil member 64. The roll 16 is then pulled out to initial position and the apparatus is in readiness for another tape splicing operation, in the manner as described in connection with the` splicing of tape 10. In this operation, the packaging or wrapping machine is actually down, or inoperative, for approximately 4 seconds. It may therefore be seen that even though semi-automatic in operation the tape splicer of the present invention is capableof splicing two tapes to one another with a minimum interruption of the packaging or wrapping machine.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently obtained, and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A semi-automatic tape splicer for providing a continuous delivery of tape to a wrapping machine comprising, in combination: a tape sealer assembly for splicing two tapes together; a positioning device for guiding at least two separate tapes to said tape sealer assembly; a timer unit including means effective upon the energization of said timer unit to maintain said timer unit energized until it returns to its start position, to Ide-energize said wrapping machine and to again energize said wrapping machine upon completion of said splicing operation and to render said tape sealer assembly operative to make a splice; and activating means for energizing said timer unit.

2. A semi-automatic tape splicer for providing a continuous delivery of tape to a wrapping machine comprising, in combination: a tape sealer assembly for splicing two tapes together; a positioning device for guiding at least two separate tapes to said tape sealer assembly; a timer unit including a rst cam having a pair of cam contacts effective upon the energization of said timer unit to maintain said timer unit energized until it returns to its start position, a second cam having a pair of cam contacts effective upon the energization of said timer unit to de-energize said wrapping machine and to again energize said wrapping machine upon completion of said splicing operation, and a third cam having a pair of cam contacts effective to render said tape sealer assembly operative to make a splice; and activating means for energizing said timer unit.

3. A semi-automatic tape splicer for providing a continuous ydelivery of tape to a wrapping machine comprising, in combination: a tape sealer assembly for splicing two tapes together; a positioning device for guiding at least two separate tapes to said tape sealer assembly; and a timer unit including a first cam having a pair of cam contacts which are included in an energizing circuit for said timer unit and which are effective upon the energization of said timer unit to maintain said timer unit energized until it returns to its start position; a second cam having a pair of cam contacts which are included in an energizing circuit for said Wrapping machine and which are effective upon the energization of said timer unit to de-energize said wrapping machine and to again energize said wrapping machine upon completion of said splicing operation, and a third cam having a pair of cam contacts which are included in an energizing circuit for said tape sealer assembly and which are effective, during the time said wrapping machine is de-energized, to render said tape sealer assembly operative to make a splice; and means for initially energizing said timer unit.

4. A semi-automatic tape splicer for providing a continuous delivery of tape to a wrapping machine comprising, in combination: a tape sealer assembly for splicing two tapes together, said tape sealer assembly including an anvil member formed with a groove, a heating means movable into engagement with said anvil member to press two tapes together within said groove, and a solenoid for moving said heating means; a positioning device for guiding at least two separate tapes to said tape sealer assembly; a timer unit including a first cam having a pair of cam contacts which are included in an energizing circuit for said timer unit and which .are effective upon the energization of said timer unit to maintain said timer unit energized until it returns to its start position, a second cam having a pair of cam contacts which are included in an energizing circuit for said wrapping machine and which are effective upon the energization of said timer unit to de-energize said wrapping machine and to again energize said wrapping machine upon completion of said splicing operation; and a third cam having a pair of cam contacts which are included in an energizing circuit for said solenoid and which are effective, during the time said wrapping machine is de-energized, to render said solenoid operative to move said heating means .to make a splice.

5'. A semi-automatic tape splicer according to claim 4, wherein said third cam is effective to provide a dwell time within the range of 0.5 to 0.7 second.

6. A semi-automatic tape splicer for providing a continuous delivery of tape `to a wrapping machine comprising, in combination: a tape sealer assembly for splicing two tapes together; a positioning device for guiding at least two separate tapes to said tape sealer assembly; a timer motor, a isource of power for energizing said .timer motor, activating means in circuit arrangement with said source of power and said timer motor for connecting said source of power to said timer motor to initiate timer motor operation, a rst cam having a pair of contacts in parallel circuit arrangement with said activating means, said first cam being operated by said timer motor to operate said pair of contacts to maintain said timer motor operated until it restores to its initial start position, a second cam having a pair of cam contacts which are in circuit arrangement with a source of power for said wrapping machine, said second cam being operated by said timer motor to operate said pair of contacts to de-energize said Wrapping machine and to again energize said wrapping machine when said splice is made and a third cam having a pair of cam contacts which are in circuit arrangement with a source of power for energizing said tape sealer assembly, said third cam being operated by said timer motor to operate said pair of contacts to energize said tape sealer assembly to effect said splice.

7. A semi-automatic tape splicer for providing a continuous delivery of tape to a wrapping machine comprising, in combination: a tape sealer assembly for splicing two tapes together; a positioning device for guiding at least two separate tapes .to said tape sealer assembly; a timer motor; a shaft rotated by said timer motor; a plurality of cams secured to said shaft; a source of power for energizing said timer motor; activating means in circuit arrangement with said source of power and said timer motor for connecting said source of power to said timer motor to initiate timer motor operation, a first pair of contacts in parallel circuit arrangement with said activating means operated by one of said cams to maintain said timer motor operated until it restores to its initial start position, a second pair of cam contacts in circuit arrangement with a source of power for said wrapping machine operated by a second one of said cams to de-energize said wrapping machine and to again energize said wrapping machine when said splice is made and a third pair of cam contacts in circuit arrangement with a source of power for said tape sealer assembly operated by a third one of said cams to energize said tape sealer assembly to make a splice.

Suskind: Electrical Control Systems in Industry, Mc- Graw-Hill, New York, 1963, p. 345.

EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner. DOUGLAS I. DRUMMOND, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N6 3,266,968 August 16, 1966 Leo Jn Von Gunten It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the heading to two sheets of drawings, line 2, and in the heading to the printed specification, line 2, for "SEMI- AUTOMATIC ZIP TAPE SPLICBR"5, each occurrence, read SEMI AUTOMATIC TAPE SPLICER D Signed and sealed this 22nd day of August 19670 (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD I. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents 

1. A SEMI-AUTOMATIC TAPE SPLICER FOR PROVIDING A CONTINUOUS DELIVERY OF TAPE TO A WRAPPING MACHINE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A TAPE SEALER ASSEMBLY FOR SPLICING TWO TAPES TOGETHERS; A POSTIONING DEVICE FOR GUIDING AT LEAST TWO SEPERATE TAPES TO SAID TAPE SEALER ASSEMBLY; A TIMER UNIT INCLUDING MEANS EFFECTIVE UPON THE ENERGIZATION OF SAID TIMER UNIT TO MAINTAIN SAID TIMER UNIT ENER- 